The board made no secret of their desire to find an experienced manger with knowledge of the lower leagues and on Monday, at a press conference at Edgeley Park, they announced that they had found him.

Simpson, who had been linked with the Libyan national team job, penned an initial 12-month deal at Edgeley Park after meeting chairman Alwin Thompson last week.

Former boss Jim Gannon had been heavily linked with the post but, after he decided against a return to the club where he was made redundant last summer, the new owners instead turned to Simpson to lead County into a new era.

The former Rochdale, Carlisle United, Preston North End and Shrewsbury Town boss has inherited Peter Ward and Alan Lord – who have been taking training at Manor Farm since pre-season began two weeks ago – from Gannon’s old regime.

The pair have been appointed as Simpson’s assistants while fitness coach Ben Cooper, who also worked under Gannon at County and Motherwell, has also been kept on.

Simpson has brought in Stuart Delaney as youth team manager to replace Craig Madden, who left to join Fleetwood Town.

He is also expected to appoint his own goalkeeping coach.

The 43-year-old said it was the challenge that had attracted him to Edgeley Park.

He could hardly have found a bigger one.

He has just 24 days to build a squad ready to take on Southend United at Roots Hall on August 7, but he wasted no time in getting his preparations underway.

He was putting the players through their paces within two hours of his unveiling before turning his attentions to adding numbers – and quality – to his depleted squad.

Simpson is keen to add some much-needed experience to his young team with a striker also a priority.

Whispers around the ground on Monday suggested the expected influx could begin as early as this week.